Royaume d'or de Lourenne
The Free Republic of Lourenne is a unified democratic republic located on the west coast of Dovani. It is bordered by the Anantonese Ocean to its west, the Bahia del Lodo to its north, the Federate Cities of Sekowo to its east, and the tropical southwestern tail of the Barrier Range to its south. Established in 2437, the Free Republic is Lourenne's fifth sovereign regime since its separation from the colonial empire of Rildanor. Geography Lourenne consists of three distinct geographic areas. The northern provinces of Alvium and New Kreshar sit on a lush lowland covered with floodplains and dense swamps. Though a harsh and unforgiving environment, the native Lourennians have adapted well to these conditions, and despite the prevalence of disease, these provinces are the most populous in the country. In addition to the large coastal cities that serve as outlets for a majority of the nation's agricultural and industrial output, the numerous rivers are dotted with densely packed 'barter towns' that sustain relatively large populations through an intricate network of riverine trade. To the south of these lowlands, Lourenne's rivers flow northward from the expansive chain of mountains known as the Barrier Range. The provinces of Kreshar and Kundir are dominated by the densely forested, subtropical foothills and end in the great peaks that divide Lourenne from the unclaimed tropical forests and plains to the south. Though generally more hospitable than the northern provinces, Kreshar and Kundir are also more isolated and far less developed. Impoverished towns sprawl across the jagged hills and valleys, sustained by subsistence farming and basic support from the nation's logging and mining industries. The western peninsula of Haboves consists of lush temperate hills and broad valleys. Traditionally the home of the wealthier Rildanorian colonists, the majority of Haboves' citizens live in the small, wealthy cities on its western and northern coasts. Historically, these cities have served as the nation's centers for international trade, receiving the processed and refined goods of the eastern provinces prior to shipping them out onto the international sea lanes. Due to repealed regulations, as well as cultural differences and high costs of living, the population in these cities has remained relatively low, though recent years have seen a steadily growing influx of ethnic Mayans from the crowded cities of the eastern provinces. Beyond these urban areas, Haboves consists of large farms and plantations traditionally owned by the nation's powerful trader families. Focused primarily on corn, tobacco, sugar, and coffee, the Haboves peninsula is a vital source of revenue and also provides for the majority of food consumed in the nation's cities. The climate in Lourenne is almost uniformly hot and humid with all areas of the country subject to frequent rainfall. The northern lowlands are prone to flooding in especially wet years, and Haboves tends to experience hurricanes in the late Summer. The country as a whole does not have a particularly high amount of seismic activity, though the more remote areas of the Barrier Range contain a few active volcanoes. Demographics Though an increasing number of natives, particularly in urban areas, have taken to ethnically self-identifying as 'Lourennians', the country is actually descended from a variety of different peoples. Approximately 72% of the population is Mayan, the dominant ethnic group in the central and eastern provinces. Around 12% of the population is either Zapotec or Mixtec, ethnicities descended from the indigenous inhabitants of the Haboves Peninsula. Their proportionally lower numbers are generally attributed to suffering greater brutality under the earlier colonial order. The Zapotec and Mixtec, however, also came to intermarry frequently with the Rildanorian colonists, and as a result, many have distinct Franco-Germanic features, including a lighter complexion than their Mayan countrymen. Not coincidentally, throughout the colonial era and during the First and Third Republics, Zapotec and Mixtec natives held a disproportionate amount of power in Lourenne's government compared to the other indigenous peoples. About 4% of the citizenry consists of 'proper' Rildanorians who maintain strong ties to their cultural homeland. These Rildanorians are typically wealthy and concentrated in Haboves. Another 8% of the population are also descended from Rildonarians, but they are more commonly known as 'Cajuns'. The Cajuns descend from poor traders and fur trappers that settled deep into the swamps of the eastern provinces. A rugged people who proudly distinguish themselves from their Rildanorian ancestry, the Cajuns have traditionally lived in isolated communities, though historically, they have coexisted peacefully with the indigenous Mayans. The remaining 4% of the population consists of the smaller, less Westernized people who live in the furthest southern regions of Kreshar and Kundir. The most well known are the more aggressive and often rebellious Xinca and Misquito peoples, though numerous more mysterious cultures remain hidden in the southern mountains and jungles, still largely unaccounted for by the Lourennian state.